Ahmed Al-Khalili
Ms. Tonya Tienter
English 250
10th September, 2014
Academic Summary
Neal Gabler shines the light on many social issues brought on by new technologies in his
essay “The Social Networks”. He goes into detail about how the typical television shows and socalled
social networks affect our daily interactions with friends and family.
After a brief prediction about the upcoming seasons of television shows, Gabler goes into
detail about the typical setting for a social group of friends in a television show, using examples
like “Friends”, “Seinfeld”, and “Glee.” After he mentions these shows, he goes on to point out
just how unimaginably connected all the characters are.
Gabler uses an observation by a Harvard professor ten years prior where he states that
Americans are slowly drifting apart. The professor says that Americans were closer for the first
two-thirds of the twentieth century, hinting that a common cause might be the reason why.
Gabler further solidifies his argument by using a study conducted recently that states that
Americans, on average, have fewer confidants, if any, than they did twenty years ago.
Following up on that what, Gabler tries to figure out the why. He starts by emphasizing
the negative aspect of virtual friendships, saying that they are nothing more than an acquaintance
counter. Another reason why Gabler suspects the decline in social solidarity is the economy
forcing women into the workplace full-time. Metropolitan sprawl, social segregation and the rise
of television are also among the factors.
Gabler slowly concludes his essay by blaming televisions being a time sink, leaving non
for social obligations, “It’s not that we prefer television to human contact”, but that relationships
with characters in television shows can substitute real human interaction (Gabler, 55-56).
Gabler closes by saying that television relationships are what we want out of social
interactions, and they are the reason our social needs are met by fictional television characters,
and not real people with flaws and tangible interactions.